Aerobic exercise is one of the most important lifestyle changes you can make to prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure, lose weight, and generally improve your overall health.

The Mayo Clinic explains that daily aerobic exercise can help widen arteries that improves blood flow, reduces clogging of your arteries, and allows your body to transfer oxygen more effectively.

Generally the major health benefits of increasing aerobic exercise includes:

Losing weight and keeping it off your body

Increasing strength and stamina

Managing chronic conditions/diseases

Improving mood and other mental health factors

Extending longevity and livelihood

So what can patients do to begin an aerobic exercise routine? How can patients gradually increase their activity to experience more health benefits?

Start small and then gradually increase activity

The American Heart Association suggests that adults should try and get between 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity or 75 minutes of high intensity activity. Examples of moderate-intensity activity include:

Brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour)

Water aerobics

Dancing (ballroom or social)

Gardening

Tennis (doubles)

Biking slower than 10 miles per hour

However, for adults that may not be ready for a fitness routine, they can start small and gradually get into a routine. The Heart Association suggests by making incremental changes such as walking more, sitting down less, and finding other ways to get more active each day.

Start with endurance exercises and then incorporate other types of fitness activity

Endurance exercises include walking, running, jogging, or biking for extended periods of time. Additionally, activities like swimming and sports including basketball and tennis are great ways to incorporate endurance exercises.

Once you build a routine for endurance exercises, patients can try and add other forms of strength conditioning to enhance their fitness regimen. Exercises like weight training, yoga, pilates, and other calesetinces can also build endurance while building strength.

Ask your local medical providers and physical trainers about ways to use exercise for health improvements

A primary care provider, or a trusted medical professional, can help direct you to a nearby gym or physical trainer to help create a fitness routine. Sometimes, patients that are obese need to lose between 3-5 percent of their body for a clinically relevant weight loss goal.

Medical professionals can make recommendations on what types of activities or other specialists a patient may need before beginning an exercise routine. Additionally, a physical trainer or fitness professional can help patients create a workout plan to meet certain weight loss goals.

Building an effective fitness routine takes time, but with enough time and patience you can soon see the pounds fall off and your overall health increase!